Fate Steps In
by xo going nowhere
Summary: According to their families, they were born to be together. Their lives tore them apart. However, destiny has a different idea..
1. Of Peeping Toms and Missed Parties

_This is my first fanfic that isn't One Tree Hill based, so this is kind of nerve wracking for me. Haha. Anyway, this is an AU fic that probably has absolutely nothing to do with Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, but I took their names for the main characters, and I toss in a few references to other works of his. Moving on.. I wrote out some of this waaay back around Christmas time, but I found it the other day and felt suddenly inspired. Lol I'll shut up now, and just let you guys read the first installment._

**Summary: **The Montys and the Capels have been friends since forever. When the wives became pregnant at the same time, the parents had high hopes for their future—which their children quickly dashed. Juliet is the golden girl with a promising future, an intelligent, enterprising boyfriend, and a secret longing for something more. Romeo is a rebel that no one can resist… not even Juliet. He's bouncing back from heartbreak, but you'd never know it. They could never get along, but one fateful night changed it all. They were born to be friends, but life tore them apart. However, destiny has other ideas…

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. Actually, this is an AU fic, so I guess nobody owns anything. Lol. But it's inspired by the characters from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, so I'll give credit where credit is due. Haha

**Fate Steps In**

_One_

Of Peeping Toms and Missed Parties

She dropped down from her balcony into her driveway with a very ungraceful plop and was grateful that there was no one around to see it… or so she thought.

"You know Jules, you were always _such_ a 'lady'," a voice that was clearly amused called through the darkness.

"And you were always such a peeping-tom," she answered bitingly.

"How sweet. You just prove me wrong every time now don't you?" he replied sarcastically, but didn't wait for a reply. "And don't flatter yourself. I'm on my way out, escaping the next world war, you know, and I found myself on the receiving end of that lovely display. Tell me, do you always wear dresses when you jump out windows?"

"Ha. I didn't jump out the window. I… slid off the balcony. Yeah." She heard him laugh through the darkness that covered their properties and smiled involuntarily. His laugh always did that to her, even when he was being awful to her, like he had done quite a few times during their childhood. Especially when they were nine. She shook her head, as if she were shaking out the memories.

"Where are you going Romeo?" she asked quietly. Her voice was very serious, and instantly the mood outside was heavier.

He waited a few moments before replying merely with, "Out."

"Romeo!" she half-shouted, half-sighed. "Come on…"

"What do you want Juliet?" he called over his shoulder. She knew that he wasn't in a joking mood anymore, because he hardly ever called her 'Juliet', even though it was her name. He preferred 'Jules' or even 'Julie', sometimes out of habit, sometimes just because 'Julie' drove her crazy. He got in his car and was now waiting for the answer to his question through the open window of his driver's side door.

"I'm coming with you," she said firmly, marching over to the other side, opening the door and plopping down in the seat.

"What? Juliet, no."

"No, you're going to do something stupid. You're going to hurt yourself, and that'll hurt me, and I'm not going to let you," she said, babbling, as she always did when she was nervous. The "and that'll hurt me" was supposed to stay in her head. Maybe he didn't notice…

"Hurting me will hurt you? Since when do you care about me?" he asked in an incredulous tone. Maybe not.

"Romeo, just… just forget it, I didn't mean to say that. Where are we going?"

"Well, I'm going to go out and do something destructive, according to you and the rest of the world, and you are going to go to the lovely party where your lovely boyfriend is waiting for you."

Boyfriend? Oh, yes, Perry. Crap. She'd forgotten all about him. That usually happened when she was around Romeo. Well, she'd explain why she stood him up tomorrow. Tonight, her neighbor needed her, and she intended to be there for him.

"No I'm not."

"Then where would you like me to drop you off?"

"Okay, look Neighbor Boy, I'm not kidding. I'm coming wherever you're going, and that's final."

He said nothing but smirked and turned the key in the ignition. He looked over to her in a challenging way, knowing that she was usually scared out of her mind to ride in a car where he was the driver, but she looked calm and resigned, and that scared him a little bit. He drove down a few winding streets, so many that she lost count, and just decided that she'd study him instead. After all, the streets were always there, but Romeo never was. He was always on the go, searching for something. He had a strong jaw line, passed down from many generations before him. You'd see it clearly if you met his father. He had piecing blue eyes and messy hair that always fell in his eyes. It was a blondish-brownish color, and she was shocked to find herself suddenly yearning to run her fingers through it. He really was extraordinarily good-looking, yes, even better than Perry who was widely acknowledged as very handsome. She used this excuse to explain why she always forgot about her boyfriend in Romeo's presence. Hormones. Right? The car pulled to a stop, and she eagerly accepted the excuse to end the silence and stop her critique of the boy she'd always known.

"Yay! I thought we'd never stop driving. So, where are w---- Romeo, this is the party." She said, first very cheerfully, then slowly at the end.

"Yes it is."

"What are we doing here?"

"You're going to go in there and have a good time. Perry and your friends are waiting for you. You look beautiful tonight Jules, don't waste it on me."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to find the words to say but nothing would come out right. Eventually, she settled for leaning over, putting her arms around his neck and giving him a hug. She kissed his cheek and said "Renee was an idiot. Please be careful?" She then pulled back, far too soon for her taste, and giving him a small smile even though she felt a lump rising in her throat, got out of the car and walked slowly up the path. She looked over her shoulder when she didn't hear him pull away. She had intended on skipping the party after seeing Romeo in his disgruntled state and had no intention of going now. She was going to walk home or call a cab after he had driven away, but she now saw that he wasn't going to leave until she walked inside. Once again, he'd read her mind.

She walked slowly in through the front door and finally saw his black convertible pull away. She cut through the rooms that she knew the hostess had sectioned off so as to avoid breakage by random partiers, and slipped silently out the side door and into the night. She took off her expensive shoes and held them in her hand. The rocks and asphalt of the ground caused her feet pain, but not nearly as much pain as the heels would have. Let's just say they're NOT her walking shoes. Juliet decided to walk along the river, because it led right to her backyard. And Romeo's. She just couldn't shake him from her mind, and now she couldn't get over the fact that he was out doing… something. He didn't even know what he was going to do. That scared her. He always seemed so in control. Which was silly, because he was always so impulsive? But with sand and rocks digging into the bottoms of her bare feet, she decided that this wasn't the time to go over the anomaly that was Romeo.

When she finally reached her property again, it had felt like days after she had left in Romeo's car. She went up to her bedroom and changed clothes, into her favorite boxer pants and a white tank top, but she wasn't ready for bed, though it was far past 1 A.M. She crept silently towards the water, and turned left when she reached the banks. This was the way towards her clubhouse that she'd always shared with Romeo. Their fathers had built it for them when they were still trying to get their children to be friends. They thought that because they were business partners and best friends, and their wives were best friends, shouldn't their children be too? Actually, they thought that it was an amazing coincidence that their wives were pregnant at the same time with a boy and a girl, so they convinced them that it would be cute if they named them Romeo and Juliet.

Yeah, real cute.

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_Alrighty, that was the first part of my first attempt at Romeo and Juliet stories lol. What did you guys think? Feedback is VERY appreciated, so please review. Anyway, thanks for reading! _

_Xo Sam_


	2. Of Break Downs and Breakthroughs

Hi again! Thank you all for reading! Well, here's the next piece, and it takes off right where the other left off.

**Fate Steps In**

_Two_

Of Break Downs and Breakthroughs 

Tears were pouring down her cheeks by the time she reached the door of the clubhouse. Once inside, she let it all out.

"How can he do this? He doesn't care what happens to him! What about his family, and the kids he's supposed to have when he gets older, and the girl out there that he is perfect for? No, he has to be so selfish! How can he do this to me?"

"He must not have realized that you cared so much." A quiet voice said from the corner, startling her and interrupting her soliloquy.

"Romeo…" she started, but now she was sobbing and only his name was distinguishable in her sentence.

"Come here." He said softly, barely a whisper, but she heard it loud and clear. She walked cautiously towards him, and he gathered her in his arms. "I'm sorry Jules." He said, and then kissed her forehead. Her crying stopped somewhat, now merely tears were falling down her face. "Whatever I did, and why ever you care, I'm sorry. I don't want you to get hurt." He cupped her chin in his hands and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. "Got it?"

"But… why Romeo?" she asked desperately.

He didn't reply but sat back down in the corner, in the sea of blankets, pillows and bean bag chairs that had been there since their youth but expertly maintained by the staff. She wasn't willing to break contact yet though, and snuggled in next to him. If he was surprised, he didn't show it, and she was grateful, as he silently wrapped his arms around her.

"You're going to get yourself killed." She whispered sadly, and was surprised when he chuckled, a melodious sound that caused his chest to vibrate. She felt it, and looked up at him. "It's not funny! I'm not kidding!" she said, tears starting to form again as she put her head back down so he would not see them.

"Please Jules, you're not going to get rid of me that easily."

"I don't want to get rid of you." She whispered, ignoring his attempts to lighten the conversation. She knew this was one that they needed to have. She needed to have.

"You did when we were seven." He said lightly again, that contagious smile spreading across his face, and she smiled a little in response, unable to keep it off her face. Normally, she would've beamed, but she was just too sad right now.

"No I didn't. I was in love with you when we were seven!"

"Jules, don't be silly. You hated me."

"No, I never hated you, but I hated that you hated me."

"I never hated you."

"You sure did a good job of covering that one up." She joked, finally giving in to his attempts to lighten the mood. She saw him smile, but it barely reached his eyes. Instead of waiting for a response, she leaned her head on his chest again and prayed for something to take them off the topic of the crush she had in her younger years. It was quiet for what felt like a long time, but was actually only about fifteen minutes. She pulled a blanket over them, deciding that they were going to have a sleepover in that clubhouse, no matter what he said. Leaning against the wall, she settled back down with her head on his shoulder.

But was she ever surprised when he turned, kissed the top of her head and whispered "I loved you too." She sat right up and attempted looking into his eyes for confirmation. They always revealed his real emotions. He was looking out the window at the night sky now, but she could see something in his eyes that wasn't there before. Maybe it was truth, or vulnerability, and relief at coming clean. Maybe it was just all the emotions of the night finally catching up with him. He laid back on the pillows and blankets, taking her with him. She settled in against his body, his arm around her waist.

"Did you really mean it when you said I looked beautiful before?"

"Uh-huh. Perry's lucky to have you."

"Oh really now? I don't think that's what you said when we first got together." They sat in easy silence, both remembering the time at the family barbeque when Juliet revealed her new boyfriend.

_"Perry, this is my mother and my father. These are the Monty's, our closest family friends. Mr. and Mrs. and I'm pretty sure you're familiar with their son." _

_"Monty… Monty… sounds familiar… but I can't quite place it." Perry said, pondering aloud and rather arrogantly._

_"Well, I'm sure the face is recognizable enough. You'll see him once he finally shows up. That should be right around when the food is served. He's got an uncanny sense about that." Juliet muttered._

_The family chatted with Perry about his likes and dislikes, grades, what he wanted to be in the future, and so on for about two hours during which Juliet was completely bored. Not that she'd ever mentioned it, but she was glad that Romeo wasn't there, because he'd see through her in a second. He had an uncanny sense about that too. The incessant chatter was interrupted by the loud roaring of a motorcycle. Perry was scandalized, and went into a rant about how rude, disrespectful and ill-mannered motorcyclists were, as both families looked on in a rather amused fashion. At that very moment, Romeo walked in through the gate, taking off his helmet, shaking out his brown-blonde hair, wearing a leather jacket and looking every inch the rebel without a cause._

_"ROMEO!" Perry gasped. "What do you think you're doing here? This is private property! Would you like us to call the police?" Romeo smirked at him, his blue eyes sparkling in amusement. _

_"Julie, would you like to help your friend out here?"_

_"Well, you see, Perry… you're looking at the missing member of the Monty family. You know… the teenager who always shows up at meals? And you can't exactly call the police on him for trespassing, because these picnics always take place on the property line, and you can't arrest someone for being at their own house." _

_"This… Romeo… no way…I don't believe it…" he stammered, gesturing towards the palatial estates on either side of the property line. He knew that Romeo came from money, but this was ridiculous. _

_"Well, believe it Equipment Manager. Or don't, but either way, pass the pasta salad." He said, his face scowling, but there was still that sparkle in his eyes. They particularly lit up when Perry flushed as he brought up his role on the basketball team, on which Romeo had been starting point guard since freshman year. _

_"Romeo! Perry is Juliet's new boyfriend. Aren't you pleased for her?" Mrs. Monty asked pointedly. _

_Romeo snorted in reply and said, "Personally, I think little Julesie could do better, but since she's clearly settling, my words of advice are either be careful, or pray to God that the kids don't get his nose." Then he continued shoveling food into his mouth like he'd never spoken._

_"ROMEO!" snapped both of the Monty parents, but it was clear that everyone at the table besides poor Perry was amused by his latest antic. No matter what they say, everyone really does love the bad boy._

_"What?" he shrugged innocently. _

_Juliet cleared her throat and looked at him pointedly. "Ahhh…sorry Jules. But truth hurts." He said. She was speechless until after dinner, when Romeo had already said his goodbyes and promised to be back for dessert, but planned to spend the time in between with his motorcycle and his friend Mark. Juliet followed him quietly out the gate. She had intended on yelling at him for insulting her new boyfriend, but once he looked at her with those eyes, she couldn't do it. Yes, she was just like everyone else. _

_"Rome, why did you do that?"_

_"Jules, it definitely needed to be said. No child should be cursed with that nose. Or those eyebrows either, but I've heard you can fix that without surgery."_

_Juliet laughed despite herself, even though he shouldn't have been allowed to degrade Perry to her face. She would always love Romeo to a degree, and he was just so charming and charismatic that people couldn't be angry with him. Except for Perry, but that was another story entirely._

_Juliet got up on her tip-toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Just… be nice at dessert, okay?" _

_"I'll see what I can do." He said, rumpling her hair with his hand. She was angry for a second, she'd worked so hard to make her hair perfect that day. But the anger melted away when she saw him beaming at her. "See ya in an hour Julie."_

_Needless to say, Perry was less than thrilled when Juliet came back into the barbeque with slightly smeared lipstick and messy hair, but the adults all exchanged knowing glances that slightly infuriated her, then made her blush. They actually thought that her and Romeo… **her** and **Romeo**? That's crazy. But Perry was completely on edge when he heard the roar of the motorcycle, and looked about ready to knock Romeo out when he came strolling back into the small party. The wink that he threw at Juliet didn't help at all, but it made her smile._

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_.:cringes:. So what do you think? Lol I have the next piece all ready for anybody who wants to read it, I'm just going to wait for a review… so thanks for reading!_

_Xo Sam_


	3. Of Confessions and Kisses

Lol if anybody is actually reading this, major props for you! And _**please**_ review.Pretty please?Anyway, next installment…

Disclaimer: Idea for first names of main characters taken from Shakespeare's **Romeo and Juliet**. 

**Fate Steps In**

_Three_

Of Confessions and Kisses

"I never understood why you winked. You knew it'd make him crazy."

"Jules, that's half the fun."

"And the other half?"

"Seeing the impossibly sure-footed Juliet Capel blush."

"I did not blush!"

"You definitely did!" he said, laughing.

"Okay, I did. But you were like hitting on me in front of Perry!"

"_Like_ hitting on you. How eloquent. I suppose that's not something I'm supposed to do in front of super-boyfriend?"

Boyfriend. There that word was again. But strangely, she felt more comfortable with Romeo than she ever had with Perry. She and Perry were always out at parties or the movies or mall with a ton of other people, always dressed up and showing off. But with Romeo, just lying there in their childhood clubhouse in her pajamas felt right.

"Did you really mean it?"

"That Perry had a big nose and bushy eyebrows? Definitely. But surely you already knew that one?"

Juliet laughed, and said, "Don't be stupid, you know that's not what I'm talking about. Did you really love me too?"

Romeo laughed for a second, then was silent. Juliet held her breath unknowingly the entire time. "More than anything."

Juliet's heart soared. Perry who? Romeo had loved her! She tried not to get too ahead of herself. He said he loved her THEN. And what was seven-year-old-love anyway? She'd loved her Barbies, too. But she found herself hoping that it was a different kind of love, but not wanting to push that particular subject, decided to change it slightly. "More than Renee?" she said in a teasing tone.

"Renee was kind of like a game. A pursuit. Something to chase after. A challenge. I never really knew her. You were different. I don't know, it always kind of felt like you were mine. Like that's how it was supposed to be. Maybe that's why it was so surprising when you started dating. Why, hey, what do I know? I was young."

"I liked to think that I was yours," she laughed, then continued, "You should see my diary entries from then."

"I already have." He murmured sleepily.  
"You what!" she shrieked, and he clapped a hand over her mouth to silence her. She licked his fingers and he laughed, then removed his hand.

"Be quiet. You're gonna wake the neighbors!" they both laughed at that one. Their nearest neighbors were across the river. Maybe an explosion would wake them, but not Juliet.

"So you read my diary. Big jerk." She slapped his arm playfully.

"Hey, no need to get physical!" he said, then laughed at the double meaning that he didn't intend when Juliet blushed. "And he's still got it. I can so still make you blush."

"Only you." She sighed, shaking her head, then laying down again.

They laid there for hours, talking about things from their past. Finally, she could feel herself drifting off to sleep, and she knew he was closer than her.

"So we loved each other?" she asked cautiously, but trying to sound like she didn't care much. She knew full well that Romeo could see right through her though.

"Yeah" he said, and then laughed sleepily.

When she thought he was asleep, she leaned over and whispered, "I still do." Then she kissed him lightly on the lips, and was shocked when he responded. He broke away slower than she thought possible, and his twinkling blue eyes were now open, but he mercifully said nothing, merely lacing his fingers with hers and giving her hand a squeeze until they both drifted off to sleep, Juliet happier than she'd ever been. Yes, even happier than when Perry said that he loved her and he started dreaming up marriage plans. Silly boy.

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	4. Of Getting Ready and Getting Help

THIS STORY GOT ITS FIRST REVIEW LAST CHAPTER! WHEEEEEE! So thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you times infinity to –HOT TOPIC FREAK--- you are totally awesome! Lol. Anyway, now that I've got my squeals of delight out, and feel slightly less pathetic about writing this story because now I know that _somebody's_ reading it, we'll move on. Wheeee!

**Fate Steps In**

_Four _

Of Getting Ready and Getting Help

Juliet awoke the next morning, blissfully happy. She had no idea how she managed to get back up into her bedroom, but she felt that if her life was a Disney movie, right about now all the little hummingbirds and butterflies would be surrounding her, helping her get dressed.

That feeling vanished completely when she checked her cell phone. She had somehow forgotten to bring it with her when she retreated to the clubhouse. Her phone registered that she had… **forty** missed calls. Wow. Never know how popular you are until you go missing, I guess. Ten were from various people. Thirty were from Perry. She rolled her eyes and tossed the phone on the bed. She'd deal with those calls later. Right now, she just really wanted a bubble bath.

As she lay soaking the massive tub, surrounded by pretty bubbles of all colors and sizes, she finally thought about everything. Last night, she'd told Romeo that she loved him. Would he remember that? She was pretty sure he was mostly asleep. Then again, she'd thought he was asleep when she started talking in the first place, but then he kissed her back, so unless he usually does that in his sleep, he was awake. Urgh. She'd ditched Perry for him. She thought she had loved Perry, but those feelings weren't like the ones for Romeo. She decided that she'd stay home all day, recuperating from the backache that she was clearly going to have, courtesy of sleeping on the floor, no matter how comfortable it was.

She got out and walked back into her spacious bedroom. It was then that she realized that the answering machine for her bedroom phone line was blinking so rapidly that if she was prone to seizures, this surely would've given her one. Walking lightly across the soft rose-colored carpeting, Juliet pressed down the PLAY button on her metallic-pink colored machine and resumed getting dressed. She assumed that she'd spend the day watching T.V. in her bedroom. She'd wear her new light blue Juicy Couture sweat suit. No, pink. Everything else in her room was pink, why shouldn't she be too? So yeah, she'd wear pink and alternate between lying across her dusky-rose colored chaise lounge and watching TV, and sprawling across her enormous, circular pale pink bed and watching DVDs. Maybe even Romeo & Juliet—although it was exceptionally corny in her position, she always had a soft spot for Leonardo DiCaprio. And she'd have ice cream. Yay! By the time she got to the end of the messages, she was already dressed, applying make-up and extremely looking forward to her day of rest and relaxation.

"Juliet, it's me, Perry." A voice called through her answering machine, and she froze. "I'm really worried about you. You didn't come last night, and you didn't answer any of your phones. Do you have any idea how bad this makes me look? We really need to keep up appearances. Anyway, I'll see you at the barbeque later Jules. Love you." **_BEEP_**.

Jules. Romeo called her that. Why was Perry doing it all of a sudden? It sounded so unnatural coming from him. Barbeque? What barbeque? Oh yeah! That one that her family and the Monty's have been planning on having ever since it started getting semi-warm again! Monty… that meant that Romeo would be there. At least for the dinner hour. But so would Perry. Not good. No, no, no. The world always had to thwart her plans! The one day that she actually wants to be a couch potato, she's got stressful plans. Sighing, she dropped to the floor and crawled to her walk-in closet, merely because she didn't feel like walking anymore. She couldn't remember if this was an actual barbeque, to be held in what she called "the barbeque enclosure", which was a pretty little private, fenced in area on the property line where they liked to have outdoor barbeques. That was the first one that Perry had gone to, where his encounter with Romeo took place. Ever since then, he'd come to most of them, invited some of the time, insisting most of the time. Other "barbeques" were held in the ballrooms, every other one in the home of the Capel's, the other ones in the magnificent ballroom of the Monty family. Perry had never gone to a Monty one. That was Romeo's territory and he knew it.

Tonight, though, she knew that it would be at her house. Otherwise, Perry wouldn't have included the "see you at the barbeque". However, she was grateful that it was at her home, that way if she needed an escape, it was available. Perry knew better than to follow her into her wing of the house. It was an unspoken rule between them, one that was not to be violated. But she couldn't for the life of her remember whether it was to be formal or informal, and knew that she couldn't ask her parents, because that would be admitting that she forgot it altogether, and they would be most displeased. She couldn't call Perry either, because then he'd grill her on what happened to her last night, and she knew that he couldn't do that when they were in public. Right?

She sighed hopelessly, about to admit defeat, when she looked out the sparkling French doors that led to her balcony. She could see right into Romeo's bedroom, something she hadn't noticed for a long time. For a while, she was just staring at his wall, willing him to be there, when he moved into her view for a second. Then she saw that a shirtless Romeo was pacing his room while on the phone. Willing herself to 1. Not be a chicken and 2. Stop staring at Romeo, she strolled across her bedroom and picked up her phone. She dialed the number that she still knew by heart, and walked out on to her balcony, praying that he'd pick up, even though he was clearly on the other line.

"In your ballroom, 2:00, formal." He answered, not even bothering to check the caller I.D. but knowing that it was her.

"Come outside." She said, not quite sure what she was playing at, but she could tell that he was smiling through the phone.

"Jules, I'm only half-dressed."

"I know." She smiled when she heard him laugh and then saw his balcony door slide open. The houses were far enough apart that they would still need the phones to talk though.

"At your service, m'lady." She saw him mock-bow, and couldn't help but giggle. "Now, what do you need?"

"Help!" she whined.

"That's what you called for? I already knew that!"

"You know, if our houses weren't twenty jillion feet away, I'd smack you for that one."

"I'm shaking. Okay, seriously, help with what?"

"I don't know what to wear."

"I'm sure that there is a person at Sak's who would love to help you with that one Jules. I am not that person."

"Come on Romeo! Please! You always know what to do!"

"Juliet! You are not seriously asking me to pick out your dress."

"Not to pick it out! Just to… help _me_ pick it out… please Romeo, please, please, please…" she said, throwing in the puppy-dog pout for effect, knowing that he was watching her carefully.

"Are you going to let me off the phone if I say no?"

"Nope."

"Fine. I'll be there in a few minutes."

"Thanks! You are the bestestestestest person in the entire world!"

"That's a new one. Bye Jules." He laughed, clicking the phone off and rolling his eyes.

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…_..?What did you think? Lol thank you for reading, and please review!_

_Xo Sam_


	5. Of Wake Up, Make Up, and Make Out

Hehehehe… I got another review! So I dance around joyfully, you guys can check out the next part. Thanks for reading, and especially for reviewing!

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Sigh.

**Fate Steps In**

_Five _

Of Wake Up, Make Up, and Make Out

She smiled to herself and walked over to her mirror to finish putting on her makeup. She definitely didn't want Romeo to see her up-close in her current state. Juliet gasped as she saw a small mark on her neck. It was purple-red in color and… no! How could that have gotten there? She knew that Perry didn't make it. And then she remembered how she had woken up that morning…

"_Jules, c'mon, we've gotta get back before they realize we're gone and conspire against us." He whispered in the early morning light that leaked through the windows. No reaction from her._

"_Jules… Jules... Ohhhh Julieeeee! C'mon!" he said while poking and lightly tickling her. She laughed a little, mumbled something incoherent, and nestled deeper into the pillow. She was actually awake, but thought it was amusing, him trying to "wake" her._

_He crawled back in behind her, and she snuggled up to him. He kissed the top of her head, whispered in her ear "Let's go, my Juliet. Wake up time." Then he kissed her ear, and down her neck, until he found a spot that he apparently liked and stayed there. Now she couldn't have spoken even if she cared too, and she just hoped that he couldn't hear her heart, because it felt like it was about to thump right out of her chest. Definitely the sweetest way she'd ever be "awoken". Eventually he stopped, and lie back on the pillow, drifting back off to sleep, with one arm casually thrown across her waist again, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to do. She waited ten minutes, and then she pretended to just wake up, waking him up too, and they parted ways at the property line. _

"Wow. Now this is going to need some cover-up." She muttered to herself, rushing to get it done before he came over, and wondering how he was going to arrive. You never knew with Romeo. She replayed the wake-up scene in her head while applying makeup to the mark. The whole thing caused her to blush.

"Yeah, you always were really bad at pretending to be asleep." A voice called from the corner.

She shrieked and whirled around. There was Romeo, sitting on her chaise lounge, looking strangely at ease sitting on her chaise lounge. Grinning. So, of course, she couldn't even tell him off for scaring her, because he melted her right away. One day she'd figure out his secret and would no longer be a slave to his smile, but that day was not today.

"You knew I was awake?"

"Of course," he replied smirking. "Okay, now what am I needed for?"

She gestured distraughtly at one of her closets. Romeo, undaunted, walked right into it. Her mind dimly registered that Perry had never even been in her wing, and her was Romeo in her bedchamber.

"Well, I'm thinking that you shouldn't wear pink, because then when you get really uncomfortable and you escape to your bedroom, it'll be like camouflage. Red either, because at the rate that you've been blushing lately, you'll look like a very well-dressed and elegant tomato. You're eyes are hazel, so lets look for something green, I guess." He called from inside. She followed him into the closet.

"What about this one?" she asked, holding out a forest green off-the-shoulder dress with gold piping.

"Sure. I told you Jules, I've got like zero idea what I'm doing here in the first place. One minute I'm on the phone with Ben and Mark about their latest girl problems, the next I'm with you in the closet. Wait—that sounded wrong." He laughed and she grinned and blushed.

"Don't you think it's a little ironic that you, Romeo, have a best friend named Mark, like Mercutio, and a cousin named Ben, ahem, Benvolio?Quite Shakespearean."

He laughed and said, "You should talk Jules. You've got cousins named Tybalt, Hamlet, and Beth!"

"Yeah. Poor kids." She said, then joined in on the laughing. "Pass me my step-stool over there. I wanna see if the matching shoes are up there." He did as he was told, and she got up, got her shoes and was standing up there for no apparent reason, with her hands on her hips.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Get out?"

"What?"

"I need to model it for you!"

"Juuuuuulesss…"

"Nope, out Romeo. You're here, so we may as well do this right." He rolled his eyes and walked out of the closet. Moments later, she emerged, looking stunning in the dress that she'd picked out.

"Well? How do I look?" she asked anxiously, doing a little twirl.

"You look great Jules. Are my services required anymore?"

"Yep. I need to try out different hairstyles. I'm thinking I should wear it up and….." she kept on babbling, but he tuned her out, just nodding at random parts and trying to look attentive. Why had he come here again? Oh yeah. The puppy-dog pout. When he came back into focus, she now had her hair in an elaborate up-do.

"Well? What do you think?"

"I'm thinking your going to need some more concealer.

"Huh? What are you talking about? You can't even see it!"

"Obviously I can."

"No! I bet you wouldn't even be able to find it again!" she stated with her hands on her hips, looking at him through her mirror. He grinned in a mischievous way, and then sidled up behind her. His hands went to her hips and he drew her back to him leisurely until there was little more than a centimeter between them. He ducked his head slightly until his lips were on the neck of the shorter girl. He kissed down it and then stopped at a spot. She felt him smiling against her skin and knew that he'd found the spot.

"Voila." He said, not breaking contact.

"I can't believe we're arguing over this," she said, her voice more uneven than she would've liked.

"No complaints here," he mumbled from behind her, moving up to her jaw.

"Romeo…" she began, opening her mouth but not finding any words to use. He nipped playfully at the bottom lip of her open mouth before moving on to the other side of her face.

"Yes Juliet?"

"No more talking." She said before grabbing his face and crashing her lips into his. That's how one minute she was debating which hairstyle she should use for the party, and the next she was back in her closet, making out with her neighbor.

RING. RING. RING. Silence. RING. RING. RING.

"That's Ben, calling to remind me to go home and change for the party." He whispered against her lips. She groaned in response, but disentangled herself from him.

"I need to get ready too."

"Okay, so I'll see you in a few hours."

"Yeah. Do you think maybe…maybe you can be there for more than just meals this time?" Juliet asked cautiously.

"I'll see what I can do Julie," he said, placing a little kiss to her nose. "Give my regards to boyfriend." He said with a wink and a cheeky grin before exiting via the balcony. Out of sight, but definitely not out of mind. She went over a list in her mind?

Did she have a boyfriend? Yes.

Was he Romeo? No!

Who was he? Perry.

Did she love him? NO! But he liked to think so.

Did she really just kiss Romeo? Yeeeeeeessssssssss!

Did she just cheat on her boyfriend? See above.

Did she regret it? …. Not at all.

"It's going to be a looooong day." She said to herself, going to change back into the elegant dress and fix her hair. And makeup. Definitely makeup.

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_Well, thanks for reading guys, please review and let me know what you think!_

_Xo Sam_


	6. Of Shock and Luck

This one is short, but it's set up, so please just bear with me guys. Thank you for reviewing, it means the world to me! Lol

**Fate Steps In**

_Six_

Of Shock and "Luck"

Juliet took her time getting ready. She loved making Perry wait for her. And she wanted to look extra beautiful tonight, especially considering all recent developments with Romeo. Eventually, she made her grand entrance into the ballroom and was greeted with gasps and smiles, and took that to mean that she got her desired reaction. Her eyes searched the room for her neighbor, but didn't really expect to see him there. So, needless to say, she was very surprised, to see Romeo there, looking (well, there's no other word for it)… gorgeous, in a tux that fit him perfectly. Following the lines of his body, her eyes widened when she realized that there was an arm linked through his own. Following the hand up to an arm, up to a face, she realized that it was Melody Summers. Beautiful, blonde, perky, plastic, head cheerleader Melody Summers. Anger ignited in her veins, and it took everything she had in her not to scream, or cry, or run, or any of the million things her mind contemplated doing.

Perry was waiting for her at the foot of the stairs, looking proud to be the boyfriend of the girl approaching him slowly. For the first time, Juliet was grateful that Perry was in the same room as Romeo, otherwise this would be unbearable. She took his arm gracefully and gratefully, shooting an icy glare at Romeo who responded with a playful smirk. _Well, let the games begin…_

Later that night, it appeared that everyone was having a great time. Juliet knew the truth. While Melody was positively glowing with happiness, Romeo looked detached. Perry was, as usual, pompous, and Juliet was miserable, but masking it well. The only person who could tell it that her serenity and happiness was all a façade was Romeo, the cause of it all. She could tell by the knowing smile on his face whenever they locked eyes.

It was awful when Juliet and Perry came in close contact with Romeo and his… guest the first time. Mrs. Monty introduced her as "Melody Summers. She's a lovely girl. We couldn't be prouder of Romeo for nabbing her. They make sure a lovely couple. I think she's the first girlfriend he's actually let us meet." Smile at Melody. Mr. Monty winks at Romeo. Romeo smiles and rolls his eyes. Juliet notices though, that he tightens his grip on Melody's waist slightly. Any normal girl would've bawled her eyes out at this point, but Juliet was not any normal girl. After many, many years of pretending to be happy and perfect, her acting skills surely weren't going to fail her now. She put on her brightest smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She grabbed Perry's hand and said simpering things like "How lovely, now we all have someone to love," and looked around at her parents and the Monty's. Romeo looked as if he were going to burst out laughing at this point, but maintained his composure.

"Yes. How lucky." He said, and smiled, facing towards Melody but looking at Juliet.

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_Hey guys! Yeah, I'm really writing a lot lately lol. Please check out my One Tree Hill story **At the Heart of It All **(that's my first real, full story. It's like my baby! hahah) and I have a new Cruel Intentions story called **Breaking the Broken**. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviews are absolutely worshiped._

_Xo Sam_


	7. Of Other Women and Escapes

**Fate Steps In**

_Seven_

Of Other Women and Escapes

Later in the night, there was dancing, and laughter, and Juliet felt almost as if she were floated above it. She certainly wasn't in a dancing or laughing mood, but she found herself doing it anyway. It was a light, airy laugh, the false one she used at social gatherings. It was an elegant, elaborate dancing method, the one used only for show. That's right, ladies and gentleman, introducing: Juliet, Barbie's new best friend.

She had excused herself from the table and went into the restroom, the one furthest away, but still on the first floor. This was her escape from the party which had been stifling her. Inside, she looked in the mirror and gave herself a little pep-talk. She exited, feeling very alone. That feeling was put to an end very shortly, when a large hand reached out and grabbed her own small one, pulling her back into the nearest room. It was a lounge done in various shades of blue. A very pretty room actually. Strong arms wrapped around her, and she relaxed into the hug. So she wasn't going to be raped, mugged or murdered. Now that those fears are put to rest…

"Romeo?"

"Hmmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"You look beautiful Jules," he said smoothly, and she felt herself blush. Damn him, he would not have this power over her any more. Or so she thought.

"What is Melody doing here?"

"What is Perry doing here?"

"Perry is my boyfriend!"

"Melody is my girlfriend."

"You had a girlfriend when we…"

"You had a boyfriend!"

"But…"

"Jules, just don't. We're in a really complicated spot if you think about it. So don't." he said softly, and she could feel herself losing the position of power. He kissed her, and she kissed back, and neither noticed when the door to the lounge opened.

"Romeo?" Melody exclaimed, shocked.

To Juliet's surprise, Romeo did not jump away from her, but pulled back at a normal pace. He looked perfectly calm and not at all like he had just been caught cheating on his girlfriend.

"Hey Melody."

"What are you doing?"

"Oh… yeah, that's kind of a long story."

"Romeo, were you cheating on me?" she asked, as if Juliet was not in the room at all.

"Sort of," he admitted with a sheepish grin.

"Just… don't do it again, okay?" she asked helplessly.

"I'll see what I can do," he said cockily and with a huge grin. He kissed Juliet's hand, let her go, and then took Melody's and lead her away.

"That smile is definitely on its way to freaking world domination," Juliet muttered. Melody didn't even care that Romeo had been cheating on her when she was on the premise. She didn't even care that he hadn't said he wouldn't do it again!

Juliet's heart skipped a beat when she realized that.

She laughed a little when she realized how desperate girls were to hold on to Romeo. He really was his namesake. The original Juliet died for him, and she surely would've been charmed by his present incarnation. Shaking that thought out of her head, she took her time walking back into the ballroom, all the while silently hoping that she was the only "other woman" in that relationship.

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_Hey guys, I know that this chapter was on the short side too, but it's really just kind of a tester. If I don't get any reviews, then this might be the end of the story. Eek, don't hate me .:hides under desk:. just **pleaseeeeeeee** review!_

_Thanks for reading_

_xo Sam_


	8. Of Dining and The Dark

Thanks for your reviews, guys! I hope you like this chapter. It gives you a little more on Perry, because a few people were curious about him, and I think it's pretty important to know more about him anyway so… yeah. Lol.

**Fate Steps In**

_Eight_

Of Dining and The Dark

Some people are just born to be stars. Maybe not in terms of fame, or athletics, but there's a certain quality to people when they are that way. Perry was like that. The County family was a very upstanding one, full of wealth, power, and overachievers. The Counties were on good terms with the Capels, which meant that they were on good terms with the Montys, but they hadn't always been. Fortunately for all the family businesses, Percival County had fallen completely and totally in love with Juliet Capel. A possible joining of two super-families was in the air, and everyone in town could smell it…

His arm slung around Juliet's shoulders as they ate in the dining room, he carried on and on, telling a story. He was very animated, and the entire table was nearly doubled over with laughter. Everyone except for Juliet, who laughed politely, but her thoughts were far from the table.

Perry was very handsome. He really was. And he was intelligent, and noble, and valiant, and proper, and very well-mannered. So what if he was a little pompous? Yes, Perry was pretty wonderful. Juliet dimly acknowledged that she might appreciate him more if she wasn't stabbing herself in the hand with her fork repeatedly.

"So, where will you be going after this, honey?" Gloria Capel asked her daughter, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. Gloria adored Perry; she really did, but not nearly as much as she adored Juliet. Their relationship had never been a particularly close one, but she treasured her child, and she could read her better than she thought she could. She could tell when her baby was unhappy.

"Oh! Um…" Juliet stuttered, caught off-guard by the question directed at her. For most of the dinner, Perry had been doing the talking and she and everyone else had been doing the laughing. This sudden swapping of the roles derailed her act. Then the most absurd thought occurred to her.

She didn't **know **where they were going.

Shooting a glance at her boyfriend, the message from her eyes said 'Okay, _now _you can jump in.' He immediately began to speak, and Juliet wondered if it was because he was saving her or because he just loved to hear himself speak. One to romanticize things, Juliet opted to think it was the first one.

"We were hoping to attend a party being held by one of my friends at his parent's home. I assure you, he's a very upstanding gentleman, a member of Student Council, the Honors Society, and the varsity basketball team."

Fulgencio Capel bit his lip to keep from grinning and exchanged a look with his daughter over the table to see that she was doing the same thing. Although he was very fond of Mr. County too, he had always thought that his tendency to name-drop and boast on other people was very amusing. The Capel patriarch was too good-humored to find it anything else.

Juliet pondered silently when they had become a '_we_'. It seemed like so long ago when she and Perry had first begun dating. She felt as if during that time, her individuality has started falling away. In the end, she thought with a sickening pang of realization, she would be left with nothing. No creativity, no particular beauty, no sharp wit or sparkling intellect. Just a trophy wife for a business man. Not even a _she_ or a _me_. Just part of _we_.

"The basketball team, did you say? Is he a friend of Romeo's?" Gloria inquired. His name sliced through the dimness of Juliet's thoughts, snapping her attention back to the table. Gloria's innocent inquiry elicited attentiveness from Juliet, a knowing smirk from Fulgencio, and an awkward sort of anger from Perry.

"Not really a friend, per say. But I do expect that Romeo shall be there," Perry said with a sniff. Juliet and Fulgencio both rolled their eyes at his condescending tone. Gloria's wide green eyes narrowed for the first time that night, darkening as she processed this. When it came down to it, Gloria loved Romeo like he was her own child. Being best friends with his mother Caroline, she was present for almost all of his childhood, and watched him grow up to become the charming young man he is. You just couldn't help but adore him. While she liked Perry very much, no boy Juliet would ever bring home could upstage Romeo, and it seemed that everyone at the table was aware of that… except, of course, for Perry.

Juliet's gaze fell upon the large windows that lined the outside wall of her exquisite dining room. She let out a wry little smile when she realized that where else would she be looking but directly at the Monty household. A light had just gone out and with a split-second estimate, Juliet determined that it was Romeo himself's room that had just been cast into darkness.

"Excuse me," she said promptly, dropping her cloth napkin onto her chair and walking briskly out the door, ignoring the curious glances behind her. Her long reddish-brown hair swished behind her as she walked as fast as she possibly could. She didn't know why she was doing this. It came down to a simple principle. Like a moth to a flame, Juliet couldn't stay away from Romeo. She never could. No matter how much trouble or drama or heartache he caused her, she would always care, never able to really wash her hands of him. All she knew was that she had to see him right now.

Of course, girls say that all the time. Romeo was an interesting paradox where you didn't want to really look at him, or else get sucked in. His intense blue gaze, flawless skin, strong jaw line and perfectly tousled blonde hair made him something that you could spend _many_ hours taking in. Then again, if you did look at him, he was an almost painfully beautiful sight. You never really knew what to do around him.

Running down the long hall way, her heels slapping against the Italian marble of the floor, she literally slid to a stop centimeters from the doors. Flinging it open, she took a deep breath of fresh air. The atmosphere inside had been far too stifling. Looking up, she almost completely lost track of her mission. Juliet had never seen a night with such a perfect shade of dark blue. However, the beautiful shade of blue triggered her thoughts back to Romeo and his eyes that could pierce your soul. Maintaining careful composure, she glided silently across her yard, the property line, his yard, until finally she was standing in his driveway, face to face with the boy she's always known.

"Hey Jules," he offered simply, a smile tugging at the corner of his full pink lips.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"So… not that I'm not happy to see you and everything, but what brings you here?" he shifted, stuffing his hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

"I don't know," she admitted. They stood in a silence that wasn't really awkward, exchanging a few glances that seemed to say so much more.

"Are you going to the party?" Juliet asked.

"Yeah, I was planning on it."

"Okay," she nodded, smiling.

He opened his mouth to say something, but light music filled the silence instead.

_How do I live without you_

_I want to know_

_How do I breathe without you_

_If you ever go_

_How do I ever, ever survive_

_How do I_

_How do I_

_Oh, how do I live_

Juliet stifled her laughter when she realized that this ballad was coming from Romeo's cell phone. She really couldn't hold it in anymore when she saw the look of repulsion he was glaring at it with.

"Somebody's going soft," she choked out between laughs.

He let out a little half-smile that didn't quite erase the disgust in his eyes. "Melody keeps changing it. Hold on a second, Julie."

Her smile totally vanished. She no longer had any urge to laugh, so her biting her lip now was to contain a totally different emotion. Of course, the sappy love ballads, the right to play with his cell phone, hang out with him, hug him any time she pleased… that all belonged to Melody. And that left Juliet with what?

She heard him wrapping up a mumbled conversation.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a few minutes. Uh huh. Yeah… me too. Bye Mel."

They stood in silence again, but unlike before, it was a very awkward one. Finally, he broke it.

"Uh… well, I have to go. But I'll see you at the party, right?" he asked, looking slightly uncomfortable, running a hand through his hand.

"Yeah. I'll see you later," she whispered. She didn't know why it killed her that he was leaving her to pick up Melody. After all, she would've left him in a few minutes to be with Perry. Maybe it was because she had left Perry first to see Romeo, and she knew that she would do it all over again if she had to, but he was leaving her now for his flavor of the week.

"Okay. I'll see you there, Jules," he called out to her as his car pulled out from the driveway. Leaving Juliet in the dark, a place she was becoming more and more familiar with.

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_Ermm.. what did you guys think? Lol **please **review and let me know. Thanks for reading!_

_xo Sam_


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